R. v. Lajoie, (1983) 50 A.R. 140 (NWTSC)

• Judge: de Weerdt, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of Northwest Territories (Canada)
• Case Date: November 08, 1983
• Jurisdiction: Northwest Territories
• Citations: (1983), 50 A.R. 140 (NWTSC)

R. v. Lajoie (1983), 50 A.R. 140 (NWTSC)

MLB headnote and full text

R. v. Lajoie

(No. S.C. 2795)

Indexed As: R. v. Lajoie

Northwest Territories Supreme Court

de Weerdt, J.

November 9, 1983.

Summary:

The accused was charged with possession of hashish, contrary to s. 4(2) of the Narcotic Control Act. The accused applied under s. 24 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to exclude evidence of possession obtained pursuant to an invalid search warrant.

The Northwest Territories Supreme Court allowed the application and excluded the evidence.

Civil Rights - Topic 1217

Security of the person - Lawful or reasonable search - Unreasonable search and seizure - What constitutes - Policemen seized a small amount of hashish in an accused's residence pursuant to an invalid search warrant - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court held that, notwithstanding good faith by the police and the fact that hashish was found, the search and seizure pursuant to an invalid search warrant infringed the accused's right to be protected against an unreasonable search and seizure under s. 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - See paragraphs 16 to 34.

Civil Rights - Topic 8368

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Remedies - Exclusion of evidence - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court excluded evidence from trial under s. 24 of the Charter where it was obtained pursuant to an invalid search warrant - See paragraphs 16 to 34.

Civil Rights - Topic 8461

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Interpretation - General - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court stated that the Charter as a constitutional document should be given a large and liberal interpretation - See paragraph 21.

Criminal Law - Topic 3051

Special powers - Search warrants - Narcotic control - A search warrant for narcotics was issued in terms of Form 5 of the Criminal Code of Canada, purportedly pursuant to s. 443 of the Code - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court held that the warrant was invalid, because it could only be issued pursuant to s. 10 of the Narcotic Control Act - See paragraphs 4 to 7.

Criminal Law - Topic 3097

Special powers - Issue of search warrants - Contents of information for issue of - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court held that a search warrant was invalid if the information did not contain adequate factual grounds to support the issuance of the warrant - See paragraphs 10 to 11.

Evidence - Topic 7534

Competency of evidence - Illegally obtained evidence - Exclusion of - Disrepute of administration of justice - Hashish was seized following a search of an accused's home by police pursuant to an invalid search warrant - The policemen acted in good faith and conducted a reasonable search - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court excluded evidence of hashish possession under s. 24 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, because its admission would bring the administration of justice into disrepute - See paragraphs 16 to 34.

Statutes - Topic 1803

Interpretation - Intrinsic aids - Bilingual statutes - Interpretation of both versions - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court referred to both the English and French versions of s. 24 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in construing the section - See paragraphs 27 to 28.

Cases Noticed:

Simcovitch v. The King, [1935] S.C.R. 26; 63 C.C.C. 70; [1935] 1 D.L.R. 769, refd to. [para. 6].

Re Imperial Tobacco Sales Company of Canada and Attorney General of Alberta, [1941] 2 D.L.R. 673; [1941] 1 W.W.R. 401; 76 C.C.C. 84 (Alta. S.C. App. Div.), refd to. [para. 6].

Re McAvoy (1970), 12 C.R.N.S. 56; 74 W.W.R.(N.S.) 688 (N.W.T.S.C.) refd to. [para. 6].

Re Goodbaum and the Queen (1978), 38 C.C.C.(2d) 473; 1 C.R.(3d) 152 (Ont. C.A.), folld. [para. 7].

Re Coulson and the Queen (1980), 51 C.C.C.(2d) 471 (A.C.A.), folld. [para. 7].

Southam Inc. v. Director of Investigation and Research et al. (1983), 42 A.R. 93; 32 C.R.(3d) 141 (A.C.A.), folld. [para. 21].

Minister of Home Affairs v. Fisher, [1980] A.C. 319; [1979] 3 All E.R. 21, refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Therens (1983), 23 Sask.R. 81; 33 C.R.(3d) 204, folld. [para. 36].

R. v. Paint (1917), 51 N.S.R. 114; 28 C.C.C. 171; 36 D.L.R. 717, refd to. [para. 37].

McClurg v. Brenton (1904), 123 Iowa 368; 98 N.W. 881; 65 L.R.A. 519, refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Esau (1983), 20 Man.R.(2d) 230; 4 C.R.R. 144 (Man. C.A.), dist. [para. 37].

R. v. Davidson (1982), 40 N.B.R.(2d) 402; 105 A.P.R. 402; 29 C.R.(3d) 241 (N.B.Q.B.), refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Hynds (1982), 70 C.C.C.(2d) 186 (Alta. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Nelson (1983), 32 C.R.(3d) 256 (Man. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Collins (1983), 5 C.C.C.(3d) 141 (B.C.C.A.), dist. [para. 39].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms 1982, sect. 8 [para. 2]; sect. 24 [para. 1].

Counsel:

B. Fontaine, for the Crown;

D. MacDonald, for the defence.

This application was heard at Hay River, Northwest Territories, on November 8, 1983, before de Weerdt, J., of the Northwest Territories Supreme Court who delivered the following judgment on November 9, 1983: